10 June 2009

Bike the Strike in London

A 48 hour transit strike is bloody irritating for many. In London, the Tube workers went on strike last night, leaving 3 million Tube passengers looking for other options.

The downsides are many but these clouds often have a silver lining. When Paris was hit with strikes last year, it was amazing to see the number of bicycles on the streets. Now Paris is way ahead of London in the Emerging Bicycle Culture Metropoli Sweepstakes but here's me hoping that London will be transformed, if only for a day or two, into a more bicycle friendly city. And that the sight of the bicycles will open peoples' eyes to the possibilities.

If I was a bicycle advocate in London, I'd be rubbing my hands in glee. Indeed, London Cycling Campaign were quick to produce a webpage and even a poster.And they've understand the simple task of marketing bicycles, too.

From The Guardian:London's mayor, Boris Johnson, and Transport for London today announced a raft of measures to help. Extra buses and a free riverboat shuttle will be laid on, experts from the London Cycling Campaign will lead novices on routes from railway stations across the city, and extra cycle parking will be provided in the city centre. Offices and business premises are also expected to open up foyer and reception areas to cycle parking.

Every person with a bike should strike against London- ride everywhere, park bikes in car spaces, take every lane... it only takes a 2% drop in cars on the road to ease congestion. If cyclists got on their bikes and showed the drop in congestion and parking need, it would go a long way to getting London on the right track.

Sad to say the one of the biggest boosts for cycling in London came from four young men from Yorkshire who are no longer with us. As a result of their actions, blowing them selves up on public transport, there has been a cycling boom in London, with a net result of a reduction in the number of cycle fatalities.

I can only applaud the RMT and Johnson for finding a less destructive way of keeping the cycle boom going, just so long as they don't come to an agreement...

Kilometres cycled by Copenhageners so far today

Copenhagenize.com is the blog of Copenhagenize Design Company. Online since 2007 and highlighting the cycling life in Copenhagen and around the world.

40 years ago Copenhagen was just as car-clogged as anywhere else but now 41% of the population arriving at work or education do so on bicycles, from all over the Metro area. 55% of Copenhageners themselves use bicycles each day. They all use over 1000 km of bicycle lanes in Greater Copenhagen for their journeys. Copenhagenizing is possible anywhere.